Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea from LA Opera

The self indulgent Emperor Nero has grown tired of his wife and taken a mistress. But that ravishing and ruthless paramour Poppea will stop at nothing to snatch the crown for herself. How many will die or disappear before the final coronation scene? For this rarely heard Baroque masterpiece, LA Opera has assembled a peerless cast of international distinction, including Susan Graham, Frederica von Stade, David Daniels and Kurt Streit.

Description

It’s hard to believe this timeless work with such enchanting love songs, heart-rending laments, and lilting dances dates back nearly a half-millennium. Composed by Claudio Monteverdi – who could justifiably be called the godfather of opera – The Coronation of Poppea sounds as fresh and accessible to today’s audiences as when it was penned in 1642.